(CA) Rialto man shot, killed in apparent robbery try

[Drizzt]

Press Interprise (Riverside, CA)

April 25, 2003, Friday

SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. B04

LENGTH: 261 words

HEADLINE: Rialto man shot, killed in apparent robbery try

BYLINE: RICHARD BROOKS; THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE

BODY:
A Rialto resident fatally shot a would-be robber Thursday after
the bandit broke open the front door and shot the resident in
the arm, leg and chest, police said.

"It looks like it was a residential robbery that went awry,"
Detective Sgt. Reinhard Burkholder said about the 4:17 a.m.
gunfight at an apartment complex along the 2000 block of South
Linden Avenue.

Nineteen-year-old Deandre James Williams of Rialto died about an
hour later at a local hospital. Apartment resident Juan Carlos
Garcia, 26, suffered four bullet wounds but was in stable
condition late Thursday after having undergone surgery,
Burkholder said.

Based on the preliminary investigation, Burkholder said Garcia
was awakened by the break-in and immediately grabbed a pistol
and confronted the intruder.

"The suspect fires at the victim and hits him in the arm,"
Burkholder said. "The victim fired at the suspect and misses,
and the suspect flees out the door."

Garcia followed the intruder out the door, prompting the fleeing
suspect to shoot Garcia three more times, Burkholder said.
Garcia told police he fell to the ground.

"The victim, while lying on the ground, shoots up at the
suspect, striking him in the buttocks," Burkholder said.
"Apparently the round went up through the buttocks into the
abdomen . . . and he bled out."

Police found Williams lying in a parking lot, about 50 yards
from Garcia's apartment. Burkholder emphasized that detectives
haven't closed the case yet.

"We're still trying to confirm (Garcia's) version," he said.

 

[Beorn]

Garcia followed the intruder out the door, prompting the fleeing suspect to shoot Garcia three more times, Burkholder said. Garcia told police he fell to the ground.

Rule Number 1- Don't miss the guy in what must have been under 7 yards! Rule Number 2- Don't follow the guy out of your house. Call the Police! Rule Number 3- Don't get shot! And REALLY don't get shot 4 times!

That being said, I wonder if this story will check out. There are some things that just don't seem to quite gel with me. I wonder what really happened?

 

[Standing Wolf]

"It looks like it was a residential robbery that went awry," Detective Sgt. Reinhard Burkholder said

Actually, I'd say it turned out quite well.

 

[Carlos]

After getting himself shot that many times, let's just hope the system doesn't try and screw him.

And, Standing Wolf, I agree wholeheartedly.

Just hope I'm quick enough should some stain attempt a breakin in my house while I'm dead asleep.

 

[Zander]

Rule Number 1- Don't miss the guy in what must have been under 7 yards! -- Beorn

And your experience with someone actually shooting at you to kill you is what, exactly?

Here's a formal request:

Please be specific about your personal experience.

But wait...you don't really have any history with anyone actually shooting at you to try to kill you. Correct? And we can't really include your experience with video games, can we?

In summary, you needn't bother interjecting any further opinion.

IOW, find another subject where your "expert" opinon will actually have some semblance of relevance.

 

[Beorn]

Zander, exactly why is it "pick on someone I don't know" time? I have had guns pointed at me on several occasions. I was shot once while wearing a vest, and it hurt like hell. And it wasn't even a real gun, rather a .25 raven.

In my particular incident (which is inconsequential to the current topic of conversation, but to "prove my pedigree" a slight bird walk should be forgiven) the perp wasn't even shooting at me. He was at point A, intended target at point B; I was at A prime.

I had a weapon, but I used my monodock baton instead. In hindsight I'm glad I did, because I most certainly would have killed him with the S&W .38 snubby I had on my hip. He was about 5 feet away from me.

As regarding weapons pointed at me with intent to kill me, there have been far fewer occasions than with LEOs, and far more than a sane or lucky person should have to deal with. I, however, do not wish to get into "who's the baddest bad @$$?" discussion with you. Or anyone else for that matter... Now, shall we dispense with your "fatigues-at-the-mall" modus operandi and not attack me with your little miniaturized reconstruction of the entire incident via 'ye olde local role-playing gamers shoppe'?

Your video game comment was as transparent as your not-too-thinly-veiled-yet-insignificant bemused condescension. You don't know me.

Not only do I not claim to be an "expert," I also do not recall seeing your name on the most recent deconstruction of the FBI Miami shoot-out. Tell you what, I'll promise to be a little more understanding, and in return, don't "stir the Koolaid." Okay?

Now, can we play nice? Shall I start over and not be so flippant in regards to this man's near fatal incident? Should I be more understanding with a man who pursued a person OUTSIDE HIS RESIDENCE and didn't call the police? If we could assume that nothing was taken, shouldn't he have been more concerned with anyone else in his home or receiving immediate medical attention? Did he have a family? Would getting killed by a thief have served his family well? I have a family, and I am pretty certain that the "Aw no, now ya done it, now I gotta kill ya" reaction would be, for me at least, immediately replaced by the "I'm not dead, where are my wife and daughter?" reaction.

Now, I may have written something that may have been perceived as disrespectful, but I'm in California, and everytime someone does ANYTHING with a gun, it just gets the liberal media types and the fruity gun-control types more "ammo" to try and bury this state even more deeply in socialistic fertilizer, okay? Are you in California? Do you have to stare a possible 10 cents per cartridge surcharge on ammunition in the face? Do you live in a state where CCW is virtually unheard of for regular law-abiding citizens, but idiots like Sean Penn can lose loaded weapons or Rosie O'Donnell can get guns for her bodyguards?

You see, I don't know you either, but I'm willing to hear about your personal experiences. I'm not gonna call you out in the public forum though, dude. You wanna explain your anger, frustration, or humiliation about this guy's plight (what, are you related to the guy?), then please send me a PM and tell me privately what an insignificant jerk I am. Otherwise, try not to jump in my crap, okay? Because, I'm a big, fat guy, and that's a lot of crap to jump into.

Here endeth the diatribe.

 

[Destructo6]

"Apparently the round went up through the buttocks into the abdomen . . . and he bled out."

Is that a "bullseye" or a "browneye"?

Hopefully, there's no more to it than meets the eye and the DA will not see fit to charge him.

 

[Beorn]

Hopefully, there's no more to it than meets the eye and the DA will not see fit to charge him.

I hope so too, but going after his attacker the way he did is going to hurt his case. That's a big no no in the PRK...

Justification doesn't mean much in sunny California.:banghead:

 

[Greg L]

But, but, but, how could the "victim" have a gun? He was only 19, a teenager. My god, we're gunning down teenagers. Ban everything, that would have prevented him from getting a gun.

Greg

 

[Gmac]

Beorn, you have a very impressive vocabulary. By the way ,I agree with you on all counts.

 

[Beorn]

Truthfully, Gmac, my mother's to blame. She was an English teacher. She never made me diagram sentences (thank God), but the vocabulary lists prior to spelling bees were exhaustive (in all meanings of the word).

She was, and probably still is, a better shot with a .45 than either my father or myself, too!

But, but, but, how could the "victim" have a gun? He was only 19, a teenager. My god, we're gunning down teenagers. Ban everything, that would have prevented him from getting a gun.

HA! How true that sentiment rings in the PRK! Gee! Maybe he received the weapon illegally!!! Now how does THAT affect the law abiding citizen!?!?

I wish I could move back east sometimes, but it's just not feasible presently... Oh well, when I retire...

 

[Zander]

Now, can we play nice? -- Beorn

You bet.

Now, I may have written something that may have been perceived as disrespectful,...

Well, that's the way it struck me. One of the things most folks don't understand is how blindingly fast such incidents happen. I don't have any bullet scars to show you but I can tell you what rounds sound like when they go by real close. Pretty exciting, actually, in a very weird sort of way...hate those adrenaline-dump headaches, though.

Are you in California?

No, thanks be to God. I used to travel out the Left Coast fairly regularly. Just no desire to do so anymore. Darn shame what they've done to your state.

...condescension...

Guilty as charged! I don't suffer fools and sophists gladly, but it's clear you are neither. In fact, you're pretty entertaining. [that's a compliment]

Otherwise, try not to jump in my crap, okay? Because, I'm a big, fat guy, and that's a lot of crap to jump into.

OK, you don't make fun of folks in life-threatening situations who don't have time to read the manual and I'll stay out of your crap.

Peace...

 

[Beorn]

Peace...

Zander, peace it is sir!